NZ Metropolitan club applies to run Harness Jewels

THE Harness Jewels could be facing a move from Ashburton to Addington.

The glamour harness racing meeting held at Queen’s Birthday Weekend alternates between the North and South Island.

The championshipstyle meeting has been held 11 times, at Cambridge and Ashburton.

Each venue is granted the hosting rights to the ninerace event by the Harness Racing New Zealand (HRNZ) board.

Chief executive Edward Rennell confirmed HRNZ had received an application from the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club which races at Addington to hold the 2019 Harness Racing Jewels.

It is understood the Ashburton Trotting Club will reapply to host the Jewels next year for a seventh time.

The decision on which club will get the meeting will be made when the HRNZ board meets on April 28.

A move to Addington would significantly change the Jewels.

It was specifically held away from the country’s two major metropolitan tracks when it was established in 2007.

A move to Addington would result in a change from the traditional one mile (1609m) distance of all Harness Jewels races.

The mile starting point at Addington has been criticised as unfair as it is positioned on a bend, which makes drawing a wide or secondrow barrier a big disadvantage compared with an inside frontrow draw.

The distance of the races is not a part of the Metropolitan’s application, but would be considered after the decision on South Island hosting rights was made.

Having races of 1950m or 2000m would make more sense, Rennell said.

Moving from Ashburton could provide the revitalisation the Harness Jewels needs. Some racegoers said last year’s Jewels there lacked atmosphere and failed to attract a large crowd.